Addict
by Yazzy
Summary: When Rei finds out that Kai has a drug addiction, he tries to help him. What will happen when Kai decides that he doesn't want that help? Mild language, references to drug use, eventual yaoi KaiRei, TysonMax, TalaBryan.
1. Chapter One

Hey all! I've been working on this one for a while now, and I'm still changing bits of it, but here's the first chapter:

* * *

"Kai?" Rei called as the front door opened. "Kai, is that you?" There was a grunt, and the sound of someone tramping up the stairs. Rei sighed. There was something wrong with Kai, he could tell. Only Kai seemed to be avoiding him... 

He got up and made his way up the stairs. He paused in front of the door of Kai's room and listened. No sound. And then...a hiss...of pain? He knocked gently. "Kai?" A gasp.

"What do you want?"

"Are you okay? You didn't say anything when you came in... Are you okay?" He went to open the door and found it locked. Kai never locked his door... "Kai?"

"Go away!" Rei frowned. Something was definitely wrong...

"Kai? Are you okay in there?"

"I'm fine! Piss off!"

It was all wrong...all totally wrong...Kai didn't swear...Kai didn't lock his door...but what kind of proof was that? "Do you want anything to eat or drink or...something?"

"NO!"

Rei sighed. "I'm downstairs if you want to talk. Tyson and Max are out tonight, and Kenny's gone to see his cousins. I wouldn't mind the company...if you don't mind..."

"I'm busy."

"Oh...okay..."

Rei went back downstairs and flumped down on the sofa. Kai's behaviour was really getting to him. He knew something was wrong, he could sense it, he could smell it, his every sense was screaming 'WRONG'! But what -was- wrong? Rei tried to watch the TV for a while longer but his doubts were nagging at his mind so much he couldn't concentrate. He threw down the remote and got up, sneaking back upstairs. He looked through the keyhole of Kai's bedroom door, but all he could see was a patch of blue wall. He leaned his head against the door, puzzling over what could be the matter.

Kai evidently wasn't going to tell him of his own accord...so somehow he had to get into Kai's room to force him to talk...

* * *

Rei bit his lip, then stuck the much-bent paperclip into the lock. He twisted and jiggled it for a few seconds, then there was a small click. Rei took a deep breath and opened the door, walking into the room. Kai was laid out on the bed, asleep. He looked pale, and he was thinner than before. Rei looked him over carefully, but apart from a small bruise on one arm, he seemed to be fine. Rei crept past him and looked around. His eyes fixed on the desk. 

"Oh, shit..." A needle...a -used- needle... Rei looked from the needle to Kai, to the needle again, and back to Kai. Suddenly, in that short space of time, Kai's eyes went from closed to open. "Kai..."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing in here?" Kai's voice was low and harsh.

"Kai...what-?" Rei gasped, eyes on the needle once again.

"Get out."

"Kai, please..."

"GET OUT!" Kai hollered, getting to his feet. Rei felt suddenly scared. Was Kai...an addict?

"Kai...please tell me you didn't use that..." He whispered, pointing at the needle. Kai glared and snatched it up, hurling it into the bin.

"Get out of my room! I never said you could come in here!" He snapped, advancing. Rei backed away slightly.

"Oh no...Kai..." A fist suddenly smashed into his cheek, sending him to the floor with a cry. He brought up a hand to touch his face as Kai stood over him, panting slightly, red in the face. "Kai...oh God...Kai...you-you can't be..."

"Can't be what?" Kai towered, raging.

"Kai...are you...using drugs?" Kai twitched, glared, then turned, storming away. "Kai!" The stairs thudded with angry footsteps. "Kai, where are you going? It's eleven..." The door slammed and Rei trailed off. After the initial shock had worn off, he jumped up and ran to the front door, wrenching it open and looking around the front street. Kai was gone. Rei went back inside, worry gnawing at him. "Oh Jesus, Kai...what have you done to yourself?"

He put a hand up to his cheek and pressed gently. He'd probably end up with a bruise...

* * *

Rei woke with a start as the door clicked open. "Kai?" No reply. Rei got up, feeling a sharp sense of deja-vu, and walked out into the hall in time to see Kai walking up the stairs. "Kai." Kai kept walking. "Hey, Kai!" Kai paused, then turned, and Rei gasped. The Russian looked like he'd been awake all night, with dark shadows under his eyes. He was shaking, and he looked exhausted. 

"Kai..." Rei ran up the stairs and took hold of Kai's shoulders. "Kai, what have you done to yourself?" Kai stiffened.

"Get off me."

"Kai...what is it? What are you using? Tell me!"

"GET OFF ME!"

"Kai-"

Kai's hands rose, slamming into Rei's chest. The neko-jin cried out as he fell backwards, down the stairs, to land with a muffled thud and a harsh cracking sound. His left arm felt as if it were on fire...he'd probably broken it...and his head...he felt so dizzy...

As he wavered between consciousness and unconsciousness, he heard someone walk down to him, over him, then away from him. As the blackness in his mind took him over completely he heard the sound of a door slamming.

* * *

"Rei?" At the sound of Tyson's voice, Rei opened his eyes. Pain instantly flooded his senses and he groaned. Someone turned him over and he yelled, clutching his arm. "Rei, what happened?" Rei groaned again, and Max joined Tyson in his field of vision. 

"Tyson, stop shouting, you can see he's fallen down the stairs. Rei, are you okay?" Tyson lowered his voice.

"Rei? Are you...alright? You didn't hit your head when you fell or anything?"

Fell? No...because...Kai... "He pushed me..."

"Who pushed you?" Tyson's voice got louder again. "Did someone break in?" Max hushed him, looking worried.

"It was Kai..."

"Kai?" Max asked, confused.

"Rei, come and sit down and we'll call someone." He turned to Max. "He must have a concussion or something..." Rei shook his head. They didn't understand...they didn't know... He turned suddenly and ran up the stairs. Max and Tyson followed him as he ran into Kai's room and kicked over the bin. Assorted bits of paper fell out, the needle shining amongst them. When Tyson and Max came in, he pointed at it.

"He's...I think...he's taking drugs...he-he wouldn't say...h-he hit me...and then..." He took hold of his injured arm. "He...pushed me...and then he left me there..." As he said it, Rei felt the reality of what had happened hit him for the first time. "He...oh my God..." His knees suddenly gave way and he fell to the floor. Tyson crouched behind him as he started to cry.

"Rei...are you sure that's what happened?" Rei nodded, wiping his eyes with his good hand. the image of Kai hitting him came into his mind and he sobbed harder. Tyson laid an arm around his shoulders. "Max...go and call Mr. Dickenson." Max disappeared, and Tyson pulled Rei into a tight hug.

"Oh God, Tyson...I don't even know where he went...w-what if he's in trouble?"

A couple of minutes later Max ran back in. "It's...it's Kai!" Tyson stood up, looking murderous as Kai came into the room. He glared at them all in turn.

"What are you doing in my room?" He growled. Tyson clenched his fists.

"Kai, what the hell did you think you were doing?" He yelled. Kai stared at him.

"He wouldn't get off me...I had to go out."

"What, for your next fix?" Tyson replied, acidly. Kai flinched and backed away.

"I didn't mean to...but...I...I needed..."

"Needed what? What is it, Kai? Cocaine, heroin?" Kai's eyes fixed on Rei.

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?" He snapped. Tyson almost exploded.

"What are you blaming him for? You're the psycho druggie!" Kai looked at him for a second then turned and walked away. "KAI! Get back here!" Kai kept walking, down the stairs and to the front door. He laid a hand on the handle and turned it, opening the door. Before he could set foot outside, Rei ran, getting halfway down the stairs before leaping down into the hall. "Don't go! I'm sorry, Kai! Don't go!" Kai walked out onto the front step but Rei grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further. "Kai...are you really-?"

"What, a druggie?" Kai's voice sounded rough and ragged. "What do you think?"

"What sort of an answer is that?" Yelled Tyson from the top of the stairs. Rei ignored him.

"Please Kai. Answer me."

"What, would it make you feel better if I said 'yes'?" Kai turned, snarling, and Rei tightened his grip.

"Kai...please..."

"Get off me!" Kai growled. Rei said nothing, only yanked Kai's arm up, looking at the bruise he'd seen before.

"That's from the needles, isn't it? Kai, you need help! What is it, Kai? Is it heroin? Cocaine?"

"Get -off- me."

"No!" Tyson and Max could see that the situation was reaching boiling point and started coming down the stairs, just as a limo pulled up and Mr. Dickenson got out. Kai tensed, then yanked his arm away and ran, hurtling past Mr. Dickenson and his driver. "KAI! COME BACK!" Rei called after him, uselessly.

As Kai disappeared around the corner Rei started to cry again. Mr. Dickenson came up to him, looking concerned. "Rei? What's going on? Max said something awful had happened..." He looked at Rei carefully and his eyes caught the awkward way Rei was holding his arm and the red, swollen skin around it. "Rei, what's wrong with your arm?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine!" Go and find Kai!" Begged Rei. Mr. Dickenson looked puzzled.

"What's happened?" He turned to Max and Tyson as they came out of the house. "Boys, what's going on?" Tyson took a deep breath.

"Kai's...been using drugs."

"Drugs?" Mr. Dickenson looked shocked beyond belief.

"He's gone mad, Mr. D!" Max put in. "He pushed Rei down the stairs!"

"What? Rei, is that true?"

Rei nodded, sniffing. "You have to go and find him! What if he's in trouble?"

"What about your arm?" Retorted Tyson. "It's broken, you can see it is! It hurts, doesn't it?"

Rei stamped his foot in frustration. "It doesn't -matter-! We have to find Kai! What if he overdoses or something? A broken arm isn't going to kill me, is it? We have to- AGH!" Rei screamed as Tyson grabbed his arm and yanked. Rei snatched it back, whimpering in pain. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Rei, you need to get that seen to! Stop worrying about Kai for a second and worry about yourself!"

"It's YOUR fault he ran off!" Rei hollered, ignoring what Tyson was saying. "If you hadn't started shouting at him he wouldn't have got angry and he would've stayed!"

"Rei, why are you defending him?" Asked Max. "He pushed you down the -stairs-!"

"It's not his fault! You can't control addictions!"

"So you don't blame him?" Asked Tyson, incredulous.

"No, I don't! And do you want to know why? It's because I love him!" Rei screamed. "You have to go and find him!"

"You're as insane as him!" Shouted Tyson.

BOYS! Stop it!" Mr. Dickenson cried. "Rei, I'll get a taxi to take you to the hospital and I'll go now and see if I can find Kai." He got out his mobile and called a taxi while Tyson and Max tried to comfort Rei. They didn't seem realise that he didn't want to be comforted or fussed over- he just wanted to know that Kai was safe.

* * *

...I was mean, wasn't I? Oh well. I made Kai into a total asshole, I know, but the site I looked at said that sometimes people with addictions get really violent and irrational. You know, I really hope my parents don't go looking at my history...a pregnancy website, a rehab website...they'd probably flip! 

Review please! I appreciate every single one! Well, except flames, but that's a different story- reviews make me smile, flames just make me laugh!

Next Chapter: Kai is found, Tala is angry, and Bryan is dressed in leather! Truly, that part isn't really as kinky as it sounds!


	2. Chapter Two

Haha, chapter two! I finished tweaking this one super quick, because I'm really happy! My Spanish speaking exam is OVER! It went okay, except for a couple of seconds in the middle where I just sat there going "Err...err..." but the rest of it was kind of alright. Replies to the reviews I got for the last chapter:

Darkangelintheshadows: Heh, thanks. Well, I continued, and here's the next chapter. Well, it's down the page a bit, but meh.

Just that good: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

Katsuke: Thanks for putting me on your favourites! Hee, makes me happy!

A/N: For that matter, thanks to EVERYONE who's ever put me on their favourites! Makes me feel all squishy and fluffy inside!

Kaei kon: Thanks for the luck! I needed it! And yes, I do understand your reviews. There's an occasional mistranslation, but to be honest I'm amazed at how good your English is compared to my Spanish! I think you're right about my fics...they're getting steadily more dark. Actually at the minute I'm writing one about Boris (old Boris not Japanese Bryan) being pervy on Bryan. Uh...but that's at the bottom of the page anyway, so I won't make you read all about it twice!

Skimmie: Well, I updated, so scroll down and you'll get the next part!

Lullaby Lily: A dealer? Hmm...I never really thought about Tala doing that, but no, he's not the dealer. He's just angry. Heh. Angry Tala. How cute!

Renanimeangel: I know, I made Kai into a total jerk, but he's going to stay a jerk until he gets over his addiction! At the moment, the most important thing in his life is his drug habit- of course I'm going to change that at some point later on- but until then, he's going to be the most unfeeling, horrible, nasty bastard on the planet!

Platinum Rei: Yay, I make someone happy! Aw. I feel fuzzy inside now...

Yumi-Ulrich4ever: Wow, I'm sorry about your friend...I hope he/she's okay. I'm glad you like the story so far!

Ellen: Yeah, I'm aiming for six or seven chapters again. And about how Kai got into drugs...well, sometimes it just takes something small and insignificant, and then you end up in a trap you can't get out of...(hint hint).

Frostt: I do kind of skim over the finer details, don't I? Hm, it's one of the things I don't like about some of my stories. I think the reason I do that is because I don't want to end up as the opposite and write, as me and my friends call them, 'shiny shiny floor' fics, eg:

_Bob walked into the imposing room. The long, strong, silken, beautiful curtains billowed wildly like a wild thing in the delicate spring wind coming in through the white oak and pine window. The bright, cheerful, wondrous sun shone in through the white oak and pine window, lighting up the shiny, shiny, oak wood, solid and imposing wonderful floor._

I HATE over description, so I would rather be under-descriptive than over descriptive, but I do agree that it's one of my faults.

CHIBI-Majik: Mm, fair point, although there's one person who flames me on a regular basis and I DO laugh at them- they have me on their author alert so that whenever I write Teen Titans yaoi they can flame me. Guess they have too much time on their hands... To be honest, I've never really gotten flames on the Beyblade section, but then again, Teen Titans is popular with a lot of younger kids, so I suppose that's why they don't accept yaoi as much on that section...

* * *

"Rei? You want a drink or something?" 

"No." Rei said blankly, staring at the wall ahead of him. It had been three days since Kai had run away, and they still hadn't found him. Rei was sick with worry and he wasn't sleeping. Max had been made to stay with him and stop him from trying to go and find Kai by himself while the others went looking for Kai.

The front door opened and shut. It was only Tyson, Rei thought bitterly. He still hadn't forgiven Tyson for yelling at Kai. His fists clenched and he gave a small growl of rage, reaching out and snatching up the TV remote, turning it on and cranking up the volume until all he could hear was the stupid children's TV show that was playing.

"Where's Jimmy?" Squawked the woman on the screen. All Rei could hear was 'Where's Kai?'

"I don't know...I don't know where he is!" He curled up, burying his face in his hands. "I don't KNOW!" Someone's hands closed over his shoulders and he jumped, struggling up. It was only Max, looking worried as Rei backed away from him.

"Rei...are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Why don't you go back to getting high on sugar with Tyson or something?" Rei hissed. Max looked confused.

"Tyson's out, Rei. Don't you remember?"

"But I heard...the...oh SHIT!" Rei ran, sprinting and scrambling up the stairs and hurling himself against Kai's bedroom door. It splintered and fell off the hinges and Rei ran in, a scream ripping itself from his throat. "KAI!" Max ran in after him, panting, and took in the scene before him.

Kai was lying slumped on the floor, arms and legs outstretched, two obviously used needles lying on the floor beside him. Rei knelt down beside him and checked his pulse. It was faint, but there. "Max, call an ambulance! Tell them it's a drug overdose!" He turned back to Kai as Max ran out. "Kai, you idiot!" He pulled Kai into the recovery position then inspected the needles. He searched around quickly and came up with another needle encased in plastic, labelled 'Hero'. Did that mean it was heroin? He heard the wailing of an ambulance and stood up.

The paramedics rushed up the stairs, shooting out questions that Rei was unable to answer. All he could do was give them the unused needle and go with them as they took Kai away in an ambulance.

* * *

Rei stalked up and down the corridor, his dark hair swishing behind him. The windows of the room were frosted over and he wasn't allowed inside. A nurse walked out and he took hold of her arm. "Is he going to be okay?" 

"I'm sorry, I can't-"

"Tell me if he's going to be okay!" Rei tightened his grip, desperate, and a doctor appeared.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Rei let go, bursting into tears.

"-Please-! Tell me if he's okay! Just tell me!"

"I can't tell you, sir!" The nurse protested. Rei hesitated for a second then grabbed the door handle. "You can't go in there!"

"Then tell me if he's okay!" The doctor stepped forwards and grabbed his arm, pulling him back. Rei snapped. Before he knew what he was doing his foot had slammed into the doctor's midriff and he had turned the handle, turned it, opened the door a crack, and-

"Unh..." He staggered dizzily, holding his head with his good hand.

"Sir, you can't go in there!" The nurse protested from behind him, still holding the clipboard she'd hit him with.

"But...I have to know...Kai..." Rei leaned against the wall and sank down it onto the cold plastic of the floor, sobbing. "Kai...I don't even know why he did it..." He whimpered. Kai..."

"Rei?" Rei found himself pulled to his feet and held against someone's chest. "Look lady, I don't know what you've done to him, but I'm Tala Ivanov, one of Kai's teammates. Could you tell us what the deal is?" Rei looked up and saw that Tala was glaring at the nurse, hands on his hips, under his leather jacket.

"I-I can't tell you...you're not related to him..."

"Don't give me that shit." Rei found himself pushed away and watched Tala walk forwards, grabbing the nurse and leaning closer. She gave a frightened squeak and tried to pull away from him but Tala held her tighter. "Is Kai going to be okay?"

"I c-can't tell you! It's against the law! P-Please! D-Don't hurt me!"

"Feh, do you think I'm gonna rape you or something? I'm gay, okay, and I'm going to be gay and angry in a minute if you don't tell me if my best friend is going to live!"

"I c-can't-"

Tala shook her roughly. "This isn't about protocols, you stupid bitch! Tell me right now or I'm quitting that promise not to hurt you!"

"It's against the l-law!" The nurse cried, bursting into tears. Tala let go of one of her shoulders and brought the now free hand round into a vicious, stinging slap. "Listen, you ugly cow, you're not talking to a gentleman, so don't get any weird ideas about me being nice because I take it up the ass! Tell me right now how the hell he is or you're going to regret it!"

"Tala..." Rei whispered. "Don't..."

"You shut the hell up you arsehole! If you and your little friends were a bit more astute you'd have noticed what was going on before it came to this!" Yelled Tala, glaring at Rei for a second then turning his attention back to the nurse. "The gun comes out in about ten seconds. I'm counting. One."

"P-Please-!" Tala shrugged.

"Two." Rei watched, shocked at Tala's extreme anger.

"Seven." Tala jumped suddenly to another number, hand reaching down to his pocket. "Ten." The nurse suddenly found herself with a handgun pressed to her temple. "You tell me right now. Is he going to live, or isn't he?"

"Tala! Tala, what on EARTH are you doing?" Mr. Dickenson appeared, looking horrified. "Lower that gun this instant! What are you -thinking-, bringing that kind of thing into a hospital?"

Tala lowered the gun and let go of the nurse, turning to Mr. Dickenson with a glare apparent on his face. "She won't tell me how he is. Someone had better tell me how he is pretty soon or I'm going to get really, really angry." Tala hissed, voice taut.

"Tala, for Christ's sake put that gun away." Tala glared over Mr. Dickenson's shoulder to where Bryan had come round the corner, dressed in black motorbike leathers and carrying two helmets. The nurse looked from Tala to Bryan to Rei and back to Tala again before promptly fainting. "Tala, tell me you -didn't- shoot the doctor."

"I didn't touch him." Tala shoved his gun back in his pocket and clenched his fists. "I want to know how he is!" Mr. Dickenson held out his hands pacifyingly.

"I'll go and find out. You three stay here till I come back." He waddled off and Tala turned to Rei.

"How the hell didn't you notice he was taking drugs? This is all your fault!" Rei blinked and his eyes filled with tears. His fault? ...It felt like it...

"I'm sorry..."

"No, don't apologise, it's Tala who should be apologising to -you-. You know it isn't his fault." Bryan came closer, handing one helmet to Tala and one to Rei before taking off his jacket. "Heh, I look like such a kink with only these on..." He laughed softly. "Leather trousers...ah well. We had to come on the bike, and I'd rather have leathers on than not..." He held out a hand and Rei gave him back the helmet. "So what exactly happened?"

The memory hit Rei like a brick. Kai, lying there, the needles, lying there, him, unable to help... "I was s-so scared..."

"What sort of an answer is that?" Snapped Tala. Bryan glared at him.

"Shut up Tala. Let him speak."

"He was just...lying there...and there were needles...t-two of them...I couldn't do anything..." Rei's lip quivered and he started to cry. Bryan sighed and slipped an arm around his waist, pulling the sobbing neko-jin against his chest. Tala glared at him for a while than came over and snuggled up against Bryan's other arm. "Mine..." He whispered. Bryan frowned.

"Tala, stop being such a baby. Can't you see how much he's hurting?" He whispered back. Tala bared his teeth and nuzzled into Bryan's neck. Bryan sighed. He knew this was how Tala dealt with things- he never cried, he just got uncontrollably angry, something which Bryan had found out to his cost when they'd first started dating.

Before very long Mr. Dickenson was back, followed by another doctor and another couple of nurses. The nurses took hold of the incapacitated nurse and doctor and took them away as Mr. Dickenson made excuses as to why they were on the floor. Tala glared at the remaining doctor. "Do you know if he's going to be okay?"

"None of us know, I'm afraid. We're analysing the evidence we have, but until the results come through we can't know exactly how strong the substance was. We do, however, know that it was heroin. I suppose he's been acting strangely lately? Maybe even..." He caught the bruise on Rei's cheek and frowned. "Violently?"

Rei nodded, then started to cry again, snivelling and sobbing into Bryan's collar. Bryan shrugged and cuddled him closer while Tala paced up and down like a caged lion, boots tapping on the floor. "When will you know?"

"When we get the results of the drug test."

"How long will that be?"

"As long as it takes." Tala made a sound of impatience and stalked off down the stark white corridor. Bryan sighed.

"One thing about my koibito is that he doesn't like waiting or worrying. He was like this when I broke my wrist a year or so ago. He nearly murdered the nurse when she knocked my arm..." He leaned a bit and put his helmet down on the floor, wrapping both arms around Rei and hugging him tightly. "Hey, don't cry. He'll be okay, he's Kai. You know he'll be alright."

"B-But I couldn't stop him..."

"Look, it isn't your fault. If it's anyone's, it's Kai's for getting mixed up with drugs in the first place." Rei shook his head.

"N-No!" Bryan sighed.

"Come on, you need something to drink."

"D-Drink? I d-don't-"

"I meant tea or something. What, do you think I'm some kind of alcoholic? Come on, let Mr. Dickenson sort all this out. There's nothing we can do about it right now."

Rei let Bryan lead him away, looking back over his shoulder at the closed door shutting him off from Kai.

* * *

Next Chapter: Kai wakes up, Rei loses his temper, and Max has a confession to make... 

Out of interest, there are two stories I'm working on at the minute beside this one. Would you prefer me to finish the one with Boris (old Boris, not Japanese Bryan) being a scary pervert (so far my friends think it's the most twisted thing I've ever written) first, or the one with Kai and Rei at a health spa ten years after the bladebreakers split up? That's if you don't think I should give up on both of them...

Anyway, even if you really don't care what I'm writing next, please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter!

PS: Even if the green thingy on your review history says this story has been updated (if you've already reviewed this chapter), it's only because I found a typo when I was reading through it. The next chapter should be up in a couple of days time.


	3. Chapter Three

Okies, here's the third chapter. I got so many reviews, I was kinda shocked! Thanks to all the people who reviewed:

Darkangelintheshadows: ...Kai might be okay...and he might not...you have to read down the page to find out!

Lullaby Lily: I think Tala's cute whatever he does...but then he -is- my favourite character...gotta dig that hair...

Kaei Kon: I always imagine Tala having a gun. It's from a picture I found on a website one time where Tala's holding a launcher, but it looks so much like a gun it's scary. In the end, my friend had to point out that the 'gun' actually had a ripcord...

Ropponmatsu III: Your review made me feel all fuzzy inside. Thanks for being so kind!

Just that good: Tala losing his temper just seems right to me somehow...he seems like that kind of guy.

Skimmie: Here you go, I updated!

Renanimeangel: Mm, when I end up with a shiny shiny floor I usually end up totally re-writing it. I have a sort of deep-seated hatred of over description, because before my yaoi days, I read a lot of het, mainly Final Fantasy. There was this one story that I absolutely loved, but halfway through a 40,000 word epic they started shiny shiny flooring it and absolutely RUINED it! I never did find out if Cloud and Aeris got together because I couldn't force myself to keep reading it...

BloodyShadows: It's interesting that you think Rei will get angry with Kai...I suppose that seems the obvious choice, but it isn't actually Kai who Rei loses it with. Kai's unconscious when the temper loss starts. Heh, guessy game: if it's not Kai, guess now who it is and then see if you're right further down!

DarkMaesth: Another review that made me feel fuzzy! Thank you for being so kind about my writing!

Chinese Fairy: Suicide? That wasn't what I had planned... It probably would have been a good idea, but I've got most of the next chapter written already. Thanks for the suggestion though! If you really want to see Rei dead, I'm working on a one-shot at the minute which contains that very thing. It should be up sometime in the next couple of weeks or so.

Ellen: It was kind of supposed to be a bit light-hearted, to make Bryan seem nice and not a stress-head like Tala... And about that memory thing, I'm like that- sometimes I'll be watching TV, there'll be an advert break, and in the space of three minutes I'll forget what I was watching in the first place!

Delores L: Sorry I wasn't logged in last time I reviewed your fic, but I was running late for school and I needed to get some breakfast.

Frostt: I didn't actually know your fic existed until you told me! I'll have to read it sometime. Mine was spawned (as most of my fics are) from a pretty picture in my head (well, not so pretty) of Kai hitting Rei. And then I had to find a way of making that picture plausible. My friend Peachmelba suggested drugs, and that seemed to fit, so, Kai the druggie as born.

LaDyFiCtIoN: 'Hero' was intended as a metaphor, but more for the sort of importance of heroin in Kai's life. I never really thought about him sniffing crack- I wanted to make it horrifying, so because I hate needles, the most horrifying way for me to put it was to have him injecting himself.

Helen: I hurried! Scroll down and the next chapter is there, in all it's angsty glory!

Yumi-Ulrich4ever: Uh-huh, Max has a confession to make. Can you guess what it is? Meh, you'll find out soon anyway...

Shinigami tenshi: Yeah, he did go and get it checked out. It wasn't actually broken, just looked that way. Sorry for not actually saying in the fic! I suppose it could have been fractured. That happened to me once- I fell over and it hurt so much I thought it was definitely broken, but when we got to the hospital they went 'nah, it's not broken.' Three days later they phoned me up and said they'd looked over the x-ray again and realised my wrist was actually fractured…I know it's not the same thing, but you'd think they would have noticed the -first- time they looked at it! I know in the story Tyson said it was broken, but he's not a doctor and he was exaggerating (like always).

Keisan: It's all just a big mess of angst at the moment, but you can get a lot of fluffy goodness out of angst (although the fluff won't be around for another chapter or so after this one…)

DarkLightJak: Heh, glad you liked it.

Animeobsession: Thanks for being so kind! You made me feel all fuzzy inside…

* * *

"Boys?" Tala, Rei, Bryan, Max, and Tyson looked up from their sodas as Mr. Dickenson came into the cafe. "They said..." He smiled. "They said he's stable. He's going to be alright, they think." Rei let out a cry of happiness and jumped to his feet. 

"Can I see him?"

"Well, yes-" Rei shot off. "But he's not awake...oh well."

* * *

"Kai, oh God, Kai I was so worried about you..." Rei curled up in the chair next to Kai's bed, one hand reaching out to stroke the Russian's cheek. "I don't care about you pushing me down the stairs, I don't care about any of it, I just want you to get better...will you get better?" 

"Nnn..." Rei blinked. The nurse had said Kai would stay asleep... "Unh?" Rei leaned forwards and a hand grabbed his front. "Rei...I need..."

"Kai..." Rei swallowed. He knew what Kai wanted. He reached up to the panic button on the wall and prodded it as Kai pulled him closer. His eyes were bloodshot and demonic looking, and he was shaking. "I need it...I can't stay alive without it..."

"Kai...I-I can't..." Rei laid his hand over Kai's but Kai only tightened his grip, glaring. "Kai, I can't bring you any...d-drugs!" He protested, tears filling his eyes.

"That's because you're USELESS!" Rei started to cry. This wasn't the Kai he had saved, had loved, had defended. This was a possessed Kai...

"KAI! Get off him!" Tyson and the others appeared in the doorway, and the blue-haired boy ran forwards, striking Kai across the face. Kai rolled with the punch and then bit Tyson savagely, drawing blood, snarling like an animal. Tala came over as well, pulling Tyson away and trying to pin Kai to the bed. Kai wasn't having any of it. He kicked and struggled like a demon, until a nurse appeared in all the confusion and stuck a syringe into his leg. As he felt the needle enter his skin, Kai relaxed completely, as if that was the most natural feeling in the world. Within seconds, his eyes had closed.

Tyson growled angrily. "He's flipped. He's gone nuts." Rei shook his head, sitting next to Kai and stroking his cheek.

"He's not Kai."

"Rei, of course he's Kai." Tyson said, folding his arms and glaring. Rei shook his head.

"He's not. He's not Kai."

Tyson was about to reply scathingly when the nurse spoke up. "I think he's trying to say that it's not Kai acting like this, it's the drugs that are controlling him. Mr. Dickenson's already paid for him to go to a private rehab centre when he gets out of here. Once they get him over the drugs...that's when you'll get the Kai you know back. Until then, he has an addiction that he can't get over by himself.

"Heroin's a drug that makes people feel as if they need it to live...even more so than other kinds of drug. However your friend got into it, it's a hard...well, it's an impossible trap to get out of on your own."

"He got himself into it." Tyson said harshly. Rei stood up, fists clenched.

"You don't even know why he did it! How can you think so badly of him when you don't know the full story? It's easy to get addicted to something!" He yelled. He took a step closer to Tyson and his voice rose to a scream. "You're acting like a total idiot! You never show him any consideration at all! Ever!"

"What? Rei, you're upset, why don't you just calm-"

"You told him he didn't have any emotions last week! You called him a psycho druggie when he needed us to help him! Now you're saying he's crazy! Why don't you just shut your stupid fat mouth!" Tyson's mouth fell open at the sight of Rei so angry. "Stop pretending like you know everything, because let me tell you, YOU DON'T! You might think Kai's disgusting but to me, YOU ARE! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

Tyson backed away slightly. "Rei..." Rei burst into a flood of angry Chinese and turned his back, braid whipping out behind him. He paused after a few seconds and took a deep breath. "I could forgive him more easily. He has a reason to act like this...but you...you're just an idiot. You're a stupid, overweight, intolerable moron. You're a judgemental idiot." He turned, eyes narrowed dangerously. "If this is a day of judgement, Tyson, why don't I judge you? Shall I assume you bounce around like an idiot all the time because you're afraid of being still because it's like being dead?"

Tyson flinched- Rei had hit the point exactly. "Shall I assume you try to make friends with everyone because you're scared of people not liking you? Because deep down you're afraid that they'll hate you and want to hurt you? Shall I assume that? Even thought it might not even be true? Oh, and I've got a good one. Should I assume that you're weak and pathetic because you can't even admit it to yourself that you're gay?"

"W-What?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed you watching me. Call it a cat's sixth sense. Only your eyes are never on my face, are they? They're never on Max's, or, for that matter, Kai's!" Tyson made a choking noise in the back of his throat and ran out. Rei bared his teeth, grinning at everyone's shock. "Did you all assume that just because I never tried to hurt any of you meant I didn't have the power to? Well you've hurt me. You've hurt me more than Kai did by hitting me. You've stopped believing in him...you don't believe that he didn't want this to happen.

"-You- don't believe in him. But I do. You can stand there and insult him all you like while he's asleep, but while I'm here you'll get every insult back!" He looked around the shocked faces of all the others. "I told you...I love him. And I understand that if he was in his right mind...he wouldn't act like this at all. So I'm going to wait for the real Kai to come back. I'm not going to abandon him. I'm not going to judge him, or criticize him."

"Rei...we haven't abandoned him, or anything like that. We're angry because he hurt the one person who cares about him the most." Said Bryan quietly, going over and laying an arm around Rei's shoulders. "Max, will you go and find Tyson and bring him back here?"

"Don't bring that idiot back in here." Rei growled.

"Rei, do you even remember what you said to him? Granted, you're upset and you're angry, and you look like you haven't slept in days, but I think you two need to talk." Tala said, flumping down in the visitor's chair as Max left.

"I don't want to talk to him." Tala laughed softly and looked over at Kai.

"Tch. Even when he's asleep he's a trouble causing little bastard..." Rei glared. "I mean that affectionately. Anyway, I grew up in Moscow. I know all about this crap. I know it probably isn't his fault. There are a million ways of getting into drugs. He's still a stupid little tosser for not telling anyone though." Rei glowered ominously, but Tala only smirked. "Hey, retract those claws, tiger-boy. I should be the one ripping into you- you've got my boyfriend draped around your shoulders."

Rei blinked. "...I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's alright, you can borrow him." Tala said, winking. Rei shook his head.

"I-I'm sorry for losing my temper like that...I -never- lose my temper..." He looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry."

* * *

"Tyson?" Max walked into the toilets, still calling for Tyson. "Tyson, are you in here?" There was a snuffling noise and a scuffle of feet. "Tyson?" 

"Go away..." A tearful voice choked out from inside the cubicle.

"Bryan told me to come and find you."

"Don't care."

"Tyson..." Max sighed and went over, climbing onto the sinks and then peering over the top of the cubicle. Tyson was sitting on the lid of the toilet, knees pulled up to his chest. "Tyson, are you crying?"

"Go away..."

"Tyson, he didn't mean it, you know. But he's upset about Kai."

"Hn." Tyson sniffed and shrugged. Max climbed onto the soap dispenser and leaned over, only to have the dispenser crack and fall. He hit the top of the cubicle and flailed wildly, dropping over the side and landing straight on top of Tyson. They ended up in a heap on the floor, both blushing. "Um...sorry." Max muttered. Tyson gave a small squeak and tried to struggle away, but found himself unable to untangle his legs from Max's. "Tyson...about what Rei said...I...I don't think he was right. Because..." Max's blush deepened further. "IthinkImightbegaytoobutIdidn'twanttosayanything!" Tyson blinked.

"Really?" Max nodded, then reached out tentatively and touched Tyson's cheek.

"I've never...um...I've never actually had a boyfriend before...um..."

"Am I...your boyfriend?" Tyson whispered. Max laughed nervously.

"If you want to be..."

"Um. I...don't know how boyfriends are supposed to act..."

"...You think I do?" Max hesitated for a second then crawled onto Tyson's lap, leaning against his chest. Tyson cuddled him closer, wiping his eyes with one hand and trailing the other around Max's waist. "I don't...want to go back there when he's this angry."

"He didn't mean it."

"...It's true, though...it was all true..."

"But we have to go back."

"I don't want to."

"Please?" Max turned his best puppy-dog eyes on Tyson. Tyson looked down and sank under the spell.

"I...suppose...if we have to..."

* * *

"Tala? I think he's fallen asleep..." 

"I haven't." Rei replied, opening his eyes. "I was just...thinking. Meditating standing up." Tala shrugged.

"If you'd rather do it sitting down, I need a smoke..."

"-A- smoke." Bryan said warningly as Tala walked out of the door. Rei sank down into the chair and looked at Bryan enquiringly. "He's supposed to be giving up, but considering the situation, I'll let him have one. You want a drink?"

"No. Thanks for asking though."

"Well I'm down the hall if you need me. Just shout."

Bryan left as well and Rei looked over at Kai. The Russian was sleeping curled up on his side, a breathing mask over his mouth and a drip stuck in his hand. The nurse said he'd done something to himself when he struggled, but Rei hadn't really been listening. He'd just been worrying. "I don't know what it's like at rehab...I hope they're kind to you...Mr. Dickenson said you'll be going in the next couple of days and we won't be able to see you for a few months, but I don't mind, as long as you come back okay." He yawned and got up, lying down on the bed beside Kai and curling up against him. When Bryan came back a few minutes later he found Rei snoring gently, snuggled up next to Kai and sleeping peacefully.

A short while after that, Tyson and Max returned, Tyson looking over at Rei warily. Bryan smiled. "He's asleep. He didn't mean what he said, you know. After you left, he said he was sorry for losing his temper like that." He looked at his watch. "Mr. Dickenson said he'd be back at eight."

"What time is it?"

"Ten to. I'm going down, I need to find Tala and make sure he hasn't smoked himself into the floor... Besides, my legs are going to sleep in these trousers. If we don't come back up then we've already gone home, okay?" Bryan retrieved the two bike helmets from under the chair and picked up his jacket, walking to the door. "If he wakes up...Rei, I mean...don't blame him for getting angry. Try and keep his mind off it, if you can."

Tyson nodded, and Bryan disappeared out into the corridor.

* * *

Next Chapter: Kai writes Rei a letter, Rei gets angry again, and Max suspects that Rei is mad (although these events are not necessarily linked). 

I know I made Rei go a bit crazy, but the poor guy hasn't slept much in a while and he's worried about his little Kai-Kai. Plus, I just decided to have some fun and make him lose it. It was a good way to wring that confession out of Max…

The reason I made Rei so mean was because he's nice to people. I know that sounds stupid, but people wouldn't be paranoid about Rei hurting them or teasing them about their secret fears because they trust him, which is why it hurts Tyson so much when Rei turns on him- Rei knows exactly how to hurt him and beside that, Tyson didn't think Rei would ever be the one to make fun of him for being afraid of the things he's afraid of.

One of my friends is like that- she's really nice and rarely loses her temper, so people trust her with secrets and aren't afraid of opening up to her, but that means that when she DOES lose her temper, she always knows exactly what to say to hurt you the most.

Thanks for the replies about what I should finish first (if someone said they couldn't choose I put a vote for each of them):

Scary Boris perving on Bryan: IIIIII

Rei and Kai at a health spa 10 years after the Bladebreakers split: IIIIII

Six for each of them…D'oh! If anyone else wants to comment about which story they think I should finish first, your input would be appreciated!

And once again, even if you really have no interest whatsoever in what I write next, please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter! I appreciate all the reviews people leave, but, as ever, flames will be used to toast marshmallows.


	4. Chapter Four

Sorry all, but this is a really short chapter. As always, thanks to all who reviewed!

Endoh Chiaki: I'm glad you like it! And no, the story with scary Boris the pervert is probably going to turn out KaiBryan (I've never tried that pairing so I thought it would be a good challenge!).

Lullaby Lily: Mm, that distance thing kind of does make sense... I want to do Religion Philosophy and Ethics next year when I start college, so I'm into all that kind of stuff!

Firefairy42: Yeah, it was about Peachmelba (PM just makes me think 'Prime Minister'!).

Ellen: Heh, you can find out who corrupted dear little Kai next chapter. This one's a sort of filler between the third chapter and the fifth (and most likely the last) chapter, so there's not all that much going on...

Darkness-fire-tiger: I'm glad you liked it!

Yumi-Ulrich4ever: Ah, sorry, you'll have to keep waiting a little longer to see if Kai comes home fully okay. Like I said above, this is sort of a filler chapter...

Animeobsession: Oh, are you one of those calm people who go absolutely mad occasionally? Trumps for you (that's a good thing, by the way)- my best friend's like that!

Chinese Fairy: Yeah, the health spa fic does have KaiRei- I've been trying a lot of alternative pairings lately, so I decided I had to have something traditional to balance it!

Just that good: Yeah, Rei gets angry again. Although, not as angry as before. I'm glad you're liking the story so far!

Darkangelintheshadows: Um...can I take it as read that you want me to do the health spa one first? I'm glad you like the idea, but I only counted your vote as one...sorry. I didn't think it was fair to count all fifteen of them, but I'm glad you like the idea that much!

Shinigami tenshi: Naw, it didn't sound like a criticism. Heh, thanks for noticing that I tried not to make Rei into a pathetic crybaby. Don't know if it worked as well as I wanted it to, but still.

Mika: I know he's OOC, but he _is_ an addict- they usually behave differently to how they normally would (not that I know really, but that's what all those anti-drugs speakers always say).

Helen: You know, I hadn't actually thought about them having a sauna together...hehe, you gave me a pretty picture of them doing just that in my head- thanks! I like it when I get pictures in my mind like that, that's where I get a lot of my fic ideas from!

Delores L: Um...I'll give you a bit more in-depth info about those two stories:

Scary Boris the Pervert: Boris decides he likes the look of Bryan and tries to...you know...with him. My friends Peachmelba and Firefairy42 have read what I have so far of this one and they both said it's one of the most twisted things I've ever written...

Kai and Rei at a health spa: Rei is working in a health spa. Kai comes to the spa after an accident, and the two spend the next few weeks together.

Sorry my bio's confusing...

* * *

For a couple of months, they didn't hear anything about Kai, or how he was. It was obvious to his friends that Rei was still on edge with worry- he hardly slept, and for that reason he was quick to snap, especially if anyone mentioned Kai. However, when a brown envelope stamped from 'Starting Over' (the place Kai was staying) came, he brightened up considerably. He practically skipped into the living room and ripped open the envelope.

_Rei,_

_My psychologist says that I have to write to you. I hate it here. They've put me on medication and it makes me sick and I'm always shaking. Everyone's always nice all the time and I hate it. They won't give me anything, and the food's disgusting. They're always having room inspections and coming in and prodding and poking in my stuff. I hate them all. _

_Kai Hiwatari_

_(the druggie)_

Rei looked down at the folded sheet of paper and felt his eyes flood over with tears. He hadn't been expecting a miracle, but...it sounded more like they were hurting Kai than helping him... He shrugged off the comforting hand Max laid on his shoulder and went upstairs, getting out a sheet of paper and a pen and writing a reply.

_Dear Kai,_

_Please be strong, and don't give up. I'm waiting for you to come home, and until then I'll always be thinking of you. I hope it gets better for you soon. I just want you to know that I love you._

_Rei._

_PS: Don't call yourself horrible names like that. _

However, when Rei asked Mr. Dickenson for an address to post his reply to, he was horrified to find out that he wasn't allowed to send Kai anything at all. He slammed his hands down onto the desk, furious.

"Why won't you let me send him anything? He sounds like he's having a horrible time! Surely a letter can't hurt him!" Mr. Dickenson sighed.

"I'm sorry, Rei, but part of his therapy is being totally cut off from the people he's hurt and left behind. Maybe you could give him it when he gets back?"

"IF he gets back!" Rei hissed, storming out. He stalked the few streets back to Tyson's and looted a stapler from Tyson's bedroom before stapling his reply viciously to the back of Kai's letter, cursing. Everyone seemed determined to make everything harder for Kai when he needed help!

Kai continued to send letters, getting slowly more and more remorseful. Rei wrote replies to them all, signing each one with the same words: 'I love you'. He kept them in a box under his bed, and God forbid that anyone went under there- Rei was likely to kill them. Whenever anyone mentioned Kai, they were met with a glare that would make warlords shiver in their boots, and on the one occasion when Tyson dared to say that Kai was mad for taking drugs, he had recieved a teapot to the head. Rei was constantly on edge, but that all changed when he opened another of Kai's letters, about four months after he'd gone into rehab.

_Dear Rei,_

_I know you probably hate me for everything I did to you, but...my psychiatrist keeps telling me that if I'm ever going to get over everything that happened, I have to be honest to the people I hurt, and I can't think of anyone I hurt more than you. At the minute, the only image I can bring to mind of you is when you were lying on the floor after I hit you. I can't remember it all that well...I can only remember your eyes, really. You looked scared...angry...betrayed. I'm more sorry than you could imagine...could believe._

_I think I feel so guilty because the more I've sat here and thought about it (it's not like there's anything else to do around here), the more I've realised that- and I know this will sound strange, coming from me- I've realised that I love you. I know that you come from the kind of society where homosexuality isn't...appreciated, but they keep telling me that honesty is the best policy, so I'm being honest._

_I don't expect you to return my feelings, or to forgive me for what I've done to you, but I just wanted you to know. I'm going to be coming home in the next week or so, but I'll only stay a couple of days and then I'm going back to Russia- I don't want to stay and cause you any more trouble. _

_Yours,_

_Kai Hiwatari._

Rei looked down at the letter and laughed out loud. Tyson jumped and looked up, startled out of his doze. "He's coming home!"

"What?"

"He's coming home! Next week!" Rei leapt up and hugged Tyson, then laughed again and ran upstairs, flinging open Max's door and bouncing inside his room. Max looked at him strangely, wondering if he'd finally flipped. "Max, he's coming home!"

* * *

Once again, sorry for the shortness. The next chapter WILL be longer. And, unfortunately, it will be that last.

Next Chapter: Kai comes home, Rei lies to Tyson, and Tyson and Max fight over sugar.

Votes so far:

Health spa: 9

Scary Boris: 9

And here was me thinking ties only happened in movies! Opinions are appreciated, if you want to contribute!

Please R+R!


	5. Chapter Five

I got so many reviews for the last chapter...I feel so happy! Well, here's the last chapter. It's a bit longer than the last one, but not as long as I'd have liked it to be...oh well.

FF: The BBDR fic isn't done yet, I'm still tweaking it! BBDR stands for Bye-Bye-Die-Rei. The original BBD was Kai, after I killed him in 'Something Begins'. Peachmelba said it and it just stuck, somehow...that's what I always say when I kill someone off...pity that's most times...My latest BBD is the Rei one, the info for it is on my profile if anyone's interested...

Chinese Fairy: Happy? Yeah. I was in the mood for some happiness after all the crud I put Kai through...

Darkangelintheshadows: There's more info about the Health Spa and Scary Boris fics at the bottom- thanks for being so enthusiastic about voting!

A/N: To all who gave an opinion, thank you- the result is at the bottom of the page.

Kanilla- Master of Fluff: Heh, thanks for being so kind about it!

Just that good: Wait no longer! The last chapter is here, and it's a damn sight happier than the others...

Renanimeangel: I'm glad you're still enjoying it!

Lullaby Lily: I'm English, so the subjects are all included in one course. I've met the head of the department and he's cool- I mean come on, he's called Geoff (I love the name Geoff. Or Jeff.).

Delores L: Thanks for being so nice about my writing...you made me feel all fuzzy inside...

Helen: Wahoot! Ten out of ten? Thanks!

Ellen: Yeah, the last chapter...I'm sorry...but I'll post another story soon!

Hi: Glad you like it!

Endoh Chiaki: It probably would help in real life, but this is fiction and I'm evil so Kai is alone- ALONE! Muahahahahaha!

Bloodyshadows: Alas, 'tis indeed the last chapter. But like I said before, I have other fics I'm writing at the minute so I'll be posting them soon!

Yumi-Ulrich4ever: I could have made it all go wrong...I was going to at one point, but in the end I decided to give them a happy ending- I can't -always- be cruel to them...

Element crocodile: Aww, thanks. You made me feel all nice and happy inside.

Silver115: Um, no, no championships, I'm afraid- I'm not very good with the actual beybattles, truth be told. Maybe I'll try one someday, but for now, this is the last chapter.

Mourir: Another kind person who made me feel all squishy and happy! Thank you!

Lemmingsrule: Dramatic? It's not really dramatic...it's more a sort of wind down. There's a lot of self doubt, and Kai gets a bit -over- dramatic...will that do?

Animeobsession: Oh, I'm definitely going to post both of them! I just wanted to know which one you guys wanted to see first, s'all.

A/N: Both the scary Boris and the health spa fics will be posted, in case anyone was wondering, but one will get posted before the other!

Kaei kon: The bit with Max saying he thought Rei was mad was at the end of the chapter when he was looking at him funny- sorry if it wasn't clear!

Skimmie: I took your eternal advice, an lo, I have updated!

Miriam906: Aww, you made me feel happy, being all nice about my fic like that!

Helen: ...Did you review earlier, or was that another Helen? Anyway, I liked that sauna idea...I'll have to find some way of putting it in the health spa fic now...it's nearly finished, I'm just changing bits here and there to make it better before I post it...

MichikoCamui630: Please don't cry! Here, quick, read more, it might make it better!

* * *

Sunday passed. Monday passed. Tuesday passed, then Wednesday and Thursday. And then...Friday did as well. By that point, Rei was becoming depressed again. It was Friday night, and he was the only one up. He was sitting on his bed, reading and re-reading all of Kai's letters and crying over them. When his eyes started to hurt he curled up on his bed, ready to let sleep claim him.

He heard the sound of a car pulling up, and voices. Probably the neighbours or something. Sighing, he rolled over. Sleep was evidently not forthcoming, so he went to the toilet. On his way back to his room he heard the voices from outside again, only louder than before, and then...the door opened.

Rei stood at the top of the stairs, helpless, as someone walked into the house, head bowed, dropping their bag in the hall and closing the door behind them. A pale hand ran its way through a mop of slate-grey hair. "Home again..." Whispered a voice that Rei hadn't heard in so long...

"Kai?" He asked breathlessly. Kai swallowed and stared up at him.

"R..." He trailed off. Before he could open his mouth again Rei had sprinted down the stairs and flung his arms around his neck.

"I missed you Kai..." He whispered, tears choking his voice. "God I missed you so much..." Kai blinked, dazed, and put his arms around Rei's waist.

"I..." Kai stopped again as Rei pulled away slightly and looked up into his eyes. "Rei...I'm sorry..." He sniffed, tears filling his eyes. "I-I'm sorry..."

"It's okay..." Rei shook his head and burst into tears. "I'm just so glad to have you back...I missed you..." He kissed Kai's cheek, then his lips. "Are you alright? Are you...okay and everything?" Kai just stared at him, mouth open slightly.

"Rei...I...I didn't...I didn't...you..." He let go of Rei and backed away. "You don't...hate me?"

"Of course I don't!"

"B-But I..."

"Oh Kai...you -can't- think I hate you...not after..." He laughed suddenly. "I wrote replies to your letters...I keep forgetting I wasn't allowed to send you them!"

"You...did?" Kai wiped his eyes. "Can I...read them? If-if you...don't..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "If you don't...mind?" Rei blushed.

"They're...kind of..." He caught the slight look of fear and self-doubt in Kai's eyes and smiled. "They're sort of...slushy...but you can read them! You can laugh at them if you want to..." Kai shook his head and followed Rei up the stairs. Rei kept looking over his shoulder, sneaking glances at Kai. It was almost...surreal, seeing him again. The Russian averted his eyes as he passed his own bedroom, a look of pain stealing into his eyes.

"I...there's...it's..." Rei turned, frowning.

"Kai?"

"I'm sorry..." Rei shook his head and grabbed Kai's wrist, pulling him into his bedroom and kneeling down, scrabbling under the bed and pulling out a box. He held it out and Kai took it, opening it warily. "I...I'm sorry I wrote things like this..." He pulled out the first letter he'd sent, reading over it and looking ashamed. He went to put it down and found another sheet of paper stapled to the back. "You...you really did write replies? Even though...they were so horrible?"

Rei blushed and nodded as Kai looked through his replies, face growing steadily more shocked. "Y-you signed them all..."

"'I love you'. Because...I do..."

"But...I was so awful to you..." Kai whispered. "I...didn't think you would be able to forgive me..."

"Oh Kai..." Kai's eyes were swimming with tears that spilled over as Rei hugged him tightly. "Of course I forgive you...just promise you won't ever make me worry like that again..."

"I...I promise... Rei...when I sent that letter...I didn't think you would..."

"Like you back? Kai, I liked you for ages, even before all...that stuff. I just didn't think you were into men." Kai sniffled and wound his arms tightly around Rei's waist.

"I don't deserve you..."

"Let -me- be the judge of who deserves me, Kai. There's no-one I want but you."

"I love you, Rei..." Kai drew back, looking deep into Rei's eyes.

"I love you too." Rei smiled and leaned his forehead against Kai's. "So...maybe...we could...start over together?" Kai nodded, swallowing.

"Rei...I...I'm sorry..."

"I know you are, Kai. But if you keep being sorry you'll make me worry again, and you said you wouldn't!"

"But I-" Rei grinned wolfishly.

"Kai, just shut up and kiss me."

Kai obliged, just as Tyson and Max appeared in the doorway of the room. "So you're back." Kai jumped and broke away from Rei, turning. "I..." He swallowed. "I...I'm sorry!" Tyson regarded him expressionlessly, making Kai fidget and feel uncomfortable. Before he had the chance to formulate another apology, Rei had stepped forwards. "Tyson, I smashed a teapot over your head once and I'll do it again! Stop being so disgustingly rude!"

Kai shifted, then walked to the door. "I...I'll go and book into a hotel or something...I asked Mr. Dickenson if I could before but he said no...but I don't...want to cause you any more trouble..."

"No! Don't go!" Rei grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "You can't leave me now! You can't just come back and leave again!" He turned to Tyson. "Are you going to ruin what I've waited for for months? Do you want me to go back to snapping at you every other second? He never hurt you, he hurt me, so if I can forgive him, and I have, then so can you!"

"Rei...don't be angry with him...he has every right to-" Kai trailed off as Tyson came over to him and hugged him.

"Don't ever hurt him like that again." He said quietly. Kai nodded and Max joined in the hug.

"We all missed you. It was just a bit of a shock seeing you again."

Kai sniffed. "I didn't think...you would want to see me ever again..."

"If you thought that, Kai, then you're the stupidest clever person I know." Tyson said, grinning. Kai laughed and started to cry again. Rei shuffled his feet a little, then smiled.

"Seeing as you've only just got back, Kai...are you hungry?" Kai opened his mouth to reply, and Rei clapped his hands. "Good! Tyson, go and put the oven on while I tidy up up here..." Tyson ran for the stairs with Max in hot pursuit. Kai put his head on one side, puzzled.

"There isn't any mess...you don't have to tidy-" Kai stopped short as Rei pulled him down to sit on the bed beside him.

"I love you, Kai. You have to promise me...that you'll never take drugs like that again."

"Rei...I...I -can't-, even if I wanted to. I-I don't, but...I mean, well..."

"Hm?"

"I...um...I know this is going to sound bad however I say it, but...I..." Kai looked down. "I had the main dealer in the town killed. I-I'm not ashamed, though. He ruined my life, and other peoples' as well... That was how I got into it...I tried some, just once, just to see if it could make me feel any better about myself and...I couldn't stop... When I was...you know...in rehab...they said I have self-esteem issues." Kai finished, blushing. "Rei..." He sighed. "I know you love me...and I love you...but I don't think...I'm the kind of person you should be with."

"Why?"

"Weren't you listening? I'm half psychotic! I did drugs! I had someone killed! I could have killed -you-, pushing you down those stairs!"

"Are you sorry?"

"Of course I am! But that makes no difference to what I did!" Rei smiled and crawled onto Kai's lap.

"It does to me."

"Rei, look...I...I got caught up in seeing you again earlier, I-I think-"

"Stop thinking then."

"Rei, I-"

"Kai, I don't care what you've done! If I was the kind of person who cared, do you really think I would want to be here with you now? If I cared what you'd done, do you really think I would have waited for so long to see you again? I didn't write those replies because I hate you, Kai, I wrote them because I love you and I want to be with you -whatever- you've done!" Cried Rei.

Kai swallowed, tears filling his eyes. "Rei..." Rei cut off Kai's words with his lips, winding his arms around Kai's neck and pushing him backwards, so they were laid on the bed, lips locked furiously. Rei pulled away, breathless. "We've forgiven you, and we all accept you for what you are -now-, not what you used to be. So stop worrying about your past. We...actually, no, -I- care about your future. Maybe...when you learn to like yourself again...we could have a future together?"

"I've never liked myself..." Rei laughed and kissed Kai's nose.

"Well that'll have to change!"

"REI! Max is stealing the sugar again!" Came Tyson's voice from downstairs. Rei shook his head and stood up, pulling Kai up with him. Before he could go anywhere, Kai grabbed him and pulled him into a crushing embrace, whispering. "Thank you..." Rei smiled.

"Come on, we'd better go and make sure those two don't blow up the kitchen..." Rei grabbed Kai's hand and pulled him back out onto the landing. Tyson and Max started shouting from the kitchen, calling for Rei to mediate their war about the sugar, and Rei started to run down the stairs. Halfway down, Kai stopped, jerking Rei's arm.

The neko-jin turned, looking up at Kai enquiringly. "I...I'm..."

"You've said it more than enough times for me to know you're sorry. I don't blame you for what you did, and I don't care about it any more. Do you understand that?" Kai nodded. "Well then, come on. If you're that sorry..." Rei's eyes took on a mischievous glitter. "You can make it up to me later, sometime..." He tugged on Kai's hand and they went down into the hall. Rei stole a quick kiss before pulling Kai into the kitchen. Everything was okay now. Kai was back, and Kai was safe, and that was all that mattered.

A few minutes later, Rei was cooking again, using the sugar that had been argued over to make muffins. As Kai looked over at him from the other side of the table, Rei smiled contentedly. Even if Kai was still unsure of himself...Rei wouldn't let him be for long. He had waited too long to let Kai leave him again. There was probably some metaphor to describe this new, almost perfect situation, but Rei couldn't think of one. He laid down his mixing bowl and licked the spoon thoughtfully, deciding to try something. "Guys...do you think we should get a cat?"

Tyson looked puzzled. "A cat? What would you want a cat for?" Max bounced, the effects of the sugar taking him over.

"Whee! Meow meow meow!" Kai looked down at the floor, then up again.

"We don't need another. The one we have already is wonderful enough." Tyson gave a wolf whistle and Kai glared at him. Rei picked up his bowl again, pouring the contents into a baking tin, sighing happily. Everything was back to normal. Or...as back to normal as Tyson's house ever got...

Fin

* * *

Okay, okay, so I gave Kai issues- I mean, come on- he spends half of his time just standing there brooding! There's got to be -something- going on up there...

On the matter of the next fic to be posted- the Boris the Perv one won by one vote. I said it up top but I'll say it again down here as well- both fics will be posted, I just wanted to know which one you guys wanted to see first. I'm really sorry if you wanted to see the health spa one first, but this way I have more time to change a couple of things I don't like about it while I post the other one! Even if you don't like the sound of them, please give both fics a try- they're quite different, so I'd like to know what people think of each type. If anyone was wondering why I suddenly decided to ask about it, I think it was 'cause we've just had a general election over here in the UK, an I was in a democratic sort of mood! Meh, it wasn't like I got to vote on that anyway...stinkin' voting age... Oh well. Next time I'll be able to vote...

PS: Voting for the fics has ended- sorry people, but it's been decided.

R&R please, love and cookies to all who do!


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